Pest Advice Blog

How Dirty Laundry Plays a Part in Bed Bug Infestations

Bed Bugs are a highly adaptable species that can be found all over the world. Even luxury hotels in Paris, New York and Toronto are susceptible to these unsettling insects. With more people going on vacations, bed bugs are spreading through Ontario at an alarming rate. They’re becoming harder to exterminate not only because their adaptability but they are also quickly becoming resistant to pest control products.

Dirty Laundry and Bed Bug Infestations

There’s no mystery behind the connection of the bed bugs and bags of dirty laundry tourists carry around. Bed bugs are attracted to items smelling of human odour and dirty laundry is an ideal environment for them to hide. If you don’t store your dirty laundry properly while on vacation, meaning keeping it in sealed bags so that no bugs can get in, chances are that you may bring a couple of them home from your trip. Since bed bugs are excellent hiders, even five-star hotels have a difficult time controlling them. There’s no science behind picking up a couple of bed bugs in your hotel room and bringing them into your home as you return from the trip, it’s that easy. What are some of the preventative measures you can take to avoid bed bug infestations? Here are some pest control tips from Truly Nolen Canada.

Check dirty laundry frequently – You could be taking the same bag of dirty laundry from hotel to hotel, but taking a couple of minutes to sort through it and see if any bugs made their way inside the bag is a very simple, yet important, step.

Use specialized bags – The market is full of products specialized for storing dirty laundry on-the-go, with many of them containing features against pest intrusion, such as scents and vacuum seals. These bags are neatly designed and practical to carry in your luggage, and they’ll lift a major weight off your shoulders.

Clean your clothes and luggage – Once you have arrived home from vacation, complete a thorough cleaning of your clothes and luggage. Even if you have clothes that you didn’t wear while away, it is good practice to clean them anyways, just in case they came in contact with any contaminated items. With a vacuum, clean your luggage to eliminate any possible lingering bed bugs. Be sure to clean every crevice of the suitcase that the bed bugs can use to hide. Until every article of clothing and luggage are clean, avoid putting them in bedrooms or living rooms. Instead, leave the items outside or in a bathroom, before storing them away for the next vacation.

If you start noticing traces of bed bugs after you’ve returned from vacation, such as red or brownish spots on a mattress or the exoskeletons of the dead bugs, call a reliable pest control provider immediately. If you’ve carried bed bugs into your home, there’s a good chance they’ve already begun to nest. This could be in your closet, bed, or even around electrical outlets. Only an expert technician will be able to inspect your home thoroughly enough to locate all of the hidden nests. After you call Truly Nolen and we determine that there’s indeed an infestation with bed bugs, we will exterminate them in a safe and sustainable way.

Truly Nolen Canada employs certified pest control technicians who have the skills required to end a home infestation quickly and efficiently. They will also help to educate you on pest infestations, and practical changes to make in your home in order to keep the bed bugs away.